Black Poetry : Where were you Billy Graham?

Billy Graham
His hair white with age
His walk aided by his son
His words electronically amplified
He still fills stadiums with believers
Thousands still listen to the great evangelist

Thousands have always listened
But there was a time he did not speak
There was a time when he stayed silent
While dogs attacked peaceful protesters
When bombs took the lives of innocent children
When tree limbss flowered with black men
When justice and equality was denied
This man of God said nothing

The most powerful man of his day
The ear of presidents and politicians his for the asking
Yet he stood far away from Martin Luther King
This southern son of southern sons
A Christian man spreading God’s word
The call for Civil Rights not among them

He could have done so much to help the cause
A white man out in front
This white man
God would have surely approved
But like all men
He fell victim to fear
Fear of losing his position
By speaking out against the horrors of the day

Now on what appears to be his farewell tour
He speaks of worldwide peace
This 83-year-old legend
His trek from city to city
Filled with fanfare...
I am not impressed

You had your chance Reverend Graham
But you left it to chance
Yes, the right thing eventually happened
Without your help
You made the decision to limit your influence
Thus limiting your greatness

You’ll be rewarded for many things
Except the one that should have been the easiest
Easy for a man of God to say “This is wrong in the eyes of God”
How will you explain your dereliction of duty?
During the time when your country needed you most
What will be your price to pay?

Do you remember the 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's
When you rose to the top on the word of God
Surely you do
God has not forgotten
He'll be reminding you soon

This is thought provoking...so thought provoking. Yes, he has lead many to Jesus. But as this poem speaks...he did not strive to lead America to repentance of it's terrible treatment of her fellow americans, during that present time when his ministry was at it's peak...that being the 60's and the 70's. He was deathly quiet on this and I never took note until now. Thanks for giving me deeper insight thru your poetry. It's a hard hitting piece...but it speaks volumes of truth.